


The Wolf, the Serpent and the Goddess

by Kajune



Category: Norse Religion & Lore, Thor (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M, Family, Hurt/Comfort, Minor Sif/Thor (Marvel), Prophecy, References to Norse Religion & Lore, Work In Progress
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-02-13
Updated: 2019-02-13
Packaged: 2019-10-27 11:17:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,741
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17765783
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kajune/pseuds/Kajune
Summary: A prophecy foretells that three beings will bring about doom and Odin is afraid. BUT, Odin is convinced that fear is not necessary, only love is.





	The Wolf, the Serpent and the Goddess

**Author's Note:**

  * For [thorkified](https://archiveofourown.org/users/thorkified/gifts).



Loki arrives at Asgard and marches along the magnificient halls of its palace with confidence. The sight is rather common because Loki rarely shows anything but confidence to his spectators, but today all the eyes and faces that look towards him balk in horror. 

One is but a fool to not expect something bad to happen whenever Loki is around, but for once Loki is not inducing discomfort in the hearts of others through his own presence. This time around, everyone who sees him is distressed because of a rather large snake wrapped around Loki from the waist up. 

No one has ever seen that snake before.

...or is it a serpent?

The guards are so fearful of what the creature accompanying Loki is that they are tempted to block Loki's path. It is by the Allfather's command Loki is here so they hesitate to move and allow Loki to walk past them. 

Gasps of horror fill the palace's walls as Loki goes deeper inside. He stops once he's ten feet away from Odin and his throne. Inside this throne room, only Odin is able to contain the shock from seeing the serpent and present a calm face. However, he is by far the most horrified by the creature's presence in all of Asgard. 

Loki, as always, looks positively chipper. 

Thor's confusion and mild disgust nearly drives him to question Loki loudly, but Odin speaks before he can. 

"It's good to see you're well, Loki." Odin greets as is customary for all returning Asgardians, even if Loki is not an Asgardian by blood. "I do wonder, where did you acquire such an odd creature during your exile?"

A chuckle.

Loki knows what the serpent is doing to the other people. He knows they're terrified, confused and suspicious. Many do wonder if this creature is a part of one of Loki's more diabolical schemes. As usual, Loki is amused by everyone else's displeasure, the mere act of being the one to cause discomfort on any scale gives him the same amount of thrill an Asgardian would find on the battlefield. 

It's because he takes so much pleasure in devising dangerous schemes that Odin saw it fit to send him into exile for a while. The Allfather is about to question whether that was a good idea after all. 

"He is my son, Allfather," Loki announces with pride. 

Gasps from all corners fill the room in unison. That was not an answer  _anyone_ expected to hear. It shocks everyone...

But of all, it angers Odin.

"I want it out of here." Odin orders with barely suppressed rage. 

These words shock everyone too but not a sound is heard, as fear overcomes most of the spectators. Odin, as powerful and mighty as he is, can only be angered by the most horrible of offenses. It causes the people present to fear the serpent more, but it also causes the proud look on Loki's face to be washed away without a trace, only shock remains in its place. 

He was not expecting such hostility.

Neither was the serpent.

"But Odi--"

Loki's protest is cut off with a near-violent shout.

"Out! That creature shall not remain in my sight. Send it away, to anywhere, but Midgard."

Loki stumbles back in confusion and horror. His former confidence is now completely gone. The serpent, his child, curls around him tightly in fear. The two sworn blood brothers stare at each other in a small battle of wills. Loki does not wish to cast away his own son but Odin won't back down from his order.

Thor is left to cut in. 

"Father, what is going on? What danger does that serpent - Loki's son - pose?"

All eyes turn to Thor, some in confusion and some in understanding. Everyone has just encountered the serpent and all of a sudden, Odin wants it out of the way. It is scary and Loki is not the most trust worthy, but to cast it out with such a temper must mean there is another reason left untold to all. 

For once, Thor is acting sensibly. 

"It is a deadly creature. Any god should be capable of seeing that!" 

Odin informs his son harshly, while leaving out the fact he is a one-eyed god and can still detect a sinister nature in the serpent as a reason Thor should as well. Thor hears the mockery anyway and so does Frigga, who stands next to him. 

In spite of Odin's words, though, none can detect evil oozing from the serpent. Many Aesir gods do not judge others based on nature either but by action. The serpent is, again, a scary-looking creature, but not yet clearly evil. At worst, Thor assumes it is as mischevious as its father, Loki. 

He wants to find out for sure but Odin is not allowing it. 

"O-Odin..."

" **Out!** Or you shall never return here."

Silence fills the room. 

Loki bows his head in defeat. His son, noticeably, does the same. Both are aware they are not welcome here. Even if Loki could talk Odin into letting them both stay, his son might end up murdered. Of all the creatures the Aesir gods have captured and brought home, it was Loki's son Odin did not permit.

Offended, Loki makes a bold declaration.

"Then I shall  _not_ return."

Loki bows gracefully and turns away from his former friend and king. No one is happy about this, least of all, Thor himself. 

"Loki...!"

Only Odin's words prevent Thor from chasing the other god. 

"Leave him. I believe he will return to his senses in due time and rid himself of that abomination."

Frigga is the only person who dares to think Odin is the one who has lost his senses, for what kind of father would so coldly abandon his only child?

The throne room falls silent once more. Some could say peace has returned but the air still feels static, as if the force of Odin's anger remains and threatens to tear anyone apart should they dare to bring up the topic of Loki and the serpent. 

It is why no one present says anything for at least an hour. 

* * *

By noon, Odin has returned to his chambers. He appears exhausted and worn down, befitting his elderly appearance. It took more than convinction to order Loki to return to exile; it took courage.

He never thought he'd ever see that beast.

It was nearly twelve years ago that Odin visited the 'Land of the Giants,' Jotunheim, to despose of the woman destined to birth that abomination. It was he who struck the killing blow, so how could her offspring exist?

It pains him beyond words to discover he had failed to prevent a major catastrophe. 

Frigga watches him in silence as Odin begins digging through the many books and manuscripts he possesses. The room is a mess by the time he has found what he is looking for. Odin places the large book on his desk and opens to a seemingly random page. 

Frigga wordlessly joins his side. 

"Th-That creature, is the World Serpent destined to help bring about Ragnarok."

Odin points to an illustration of an enormous serpent circling the whole of Midgard. Frigga hides her apprehension and patiently listens to Odin's words. 

"One of three monsters, all born to Loki and the jotunn Angrboda." A heavy pause. "I thought I had killed Angrboda."

Frigga glares at Odin accusingly. She feels that was a dirty move but doesn't say a thing. Odin may deserve to be reprimanded but right now, he is still in shock, in no mood to be aggravated into a more intense emotion. 

"Loki...Loki must have found her and mated with her. That means...the wolf Fenrir and the cursed Hel both exist."

Odin's face becomes the personification of terror. 

Frigga is usually good at providing comfort for her husband, who tends to worry thanks to all his responsibilities, but for once, she has nothing to say. What can she say? If the three beasts are what Odin says they are, then the war that will bring about the end of the gods is coming.

Ragnarok is every god's worst nightmare. 

The best she can do is rid him of his sorrow but she cannot genuinely promise him that his current troubles are to be short-lived. What pains her husband now is something inevitable. 

Suddenly, Odin begins to tremble.

"I failed...I failed to save us all."

He's crying.

Frigga moves into cradle her husband, "There there," she whispers soothingly. It helps to calm Odin down, who embraces her back, tightly enough to confirm that he is scared right now; scared and vulnerable, unsightly for a king but acceptable for a husband. 

No god is invisible, so Frigga happily lets the Allfather cry on her shoulder. 

"I shouldn't have... I shouldn't have..."

They both know Odin fully regrets banishing Loki, and not simply because Loki has now fathered the three terrifying offspring, but because Odin cares for Loki, and so do many others.

Once a god has been sworn in as a member of the Aesir gods, their bonds are never broken. 

No sin nor betrayal can truly break such bonds. 

"It's alright, dear," Frigga whispers an obvious yet well-meaning lie, if only to comfort. "destiny cannot be averted. However, you can still make peace with Loki." It's a hopeful message that calms Odin enough to stop the trembling. 

Husband and wife stare into each other's eyes. 

They might not be able to prevent Ragnarok, but they can still reunite as a family. Fighting maybe enjoyable, it maybe an Aesir god's greatest pleasure, but what point is battle if there is no one to welcome you home after each victory and defeat?

Loki must have found comfort in Angrboda, which is why he began a family with her. He probably came to Asgard with good intentions, only to be thrown out like an intruder. 

Odin wipes the tears from his eyes upon this realization. He gives the book once last look before he slams it shut and goes hunting for Thor through the many private rooms of the royal palace. It takes six minutes to find the god, predictably, munching on food in his room - a sign he might be sulking - and Odin promptly orders him to retrieve Loki. 

Thor is gone before Odin makes it back to his own chambers and back in his wife's arms. 


End file.
